have you ever.....

Top 7 Things You Never Did Until You Joined the PTO

1. Cook spaghetti and meatballs for 200 people.
2. Purchase 30 pounds of cookie dough at one time.
3. Unjam 50 sheets of paper from a photocopier.
4. Know your way from the school's office to the PTO closet—blindfolded.
5. Count box top labels in your bed at night to help you sleep.
6. Think that stick-on nametags are a pretty nifty thing.
7. Dress up like a Dr. Seuss character. (Wait, you did that before you were in the PTO?)





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My PTO Parent: Kids Speak Out

How the children of PTO leaders view their parents' involvement at school.
by Patty Catalano

What’s it like to be the child of a busy parent leader? And just what do kids think about having mom or dad (or both) at school 24/7? We asked children of PTO leaders for their views. Here’s what they had to say about their parents’ roles as leaders at school.

Kyle Chirsky
Grade 3, son of Lisa Chirsky, Recording Secretary, Mohegan School PTO, Shelton, Conn.
What Mom does: Brings snacks and fun things to school, she cleans the chickens in my class and brings them home.
Coolest thing she’s done: She brought in quarters for [a] project and gave one to all the kids to keep.
At meetings: My mom talks a lot, so I am sure she talks all night.
PTO perk: When my mom comes to school; it means that something cool is going on and we don’t have to do work.
PTO pet peeve: When my mom does the school handbook and newsletter...she hogs the computer and makes me use the old one that is as big as a dinosaur and as slow as one, too!Future involvement plans: To be in control of all the money. I would buy toys and learning games and have parties.

Christina Chirsky
Kindergarten, sister of Kyle and daughter of Lisa Chirsky, Mohegan School PTO, Shelton, Conn.
What Mom does: My mom tells the teachers what to do.
Coolest thing she’s done: My mom dressed up for the Easter Bunny because he couldn’t make it to school; she gave eggs to all the kids. I told all my friends that my mom is the Easter Bunny’s helper.
At meetings: The moms make money at the PTO meetings—real money.
PTO perk: I like when my mom volunteers because I go into the office and get candy and pretzels.
PTO pet peeve: When my mom comes to school because she picks me up and I can’t play after school with my friends.Future involvement plans: I don’t want to be involved at school because I will be working.

Carter Lochbaum
Grade 5, son of Angie Lochbaum, President, Zane Trace Elementary Pioneer Parent Club, Chillicothe, Ohio
What Mom does: Just about anything—helps out a lot at the school, the fundraisers, fun nights, and she works a lot of market days.
Coolest thing she’s done: Penny drive for Red Cross, then they gave the winning class a pizza party.
PTO perk: Everyone knows my mom.
PTO pet peeve: Sometimes my mom knows what I have done before I get home...good or bad.
Future involvement plans: Help like my mom and dad do—and do just as much as they do...help with back-to-school night and field trips.

Lauren Bernstein
Grade 2, daughter of Phil Bernstein, Copresident and former Treasurer, Douglas MacArthur Elementary PTO, Waltham, Mass.
What Dad does: Buys the equipment for the kids to play outside and buys the teachers pencils, papers, and pens.
Coolest thing he’s done: He went to Plum Island [wildlife refuge] with us as a chaperone.
At meetings: They talk about how to keep the kids safe and how to make sure we use the recess equipment safely.
PTO perk: Too many things to say.
PTO pet peeve: None. I like to see my dad because I love him.
Future involvement plans: Help to make kids have fun while learning and every day when they are doing something bad have them tell yourself.

Lexi Fowee
Grade 4, daughter of Julie Fowee, former PTO president, A.M. Yealey Elementary PTO, Florence, Ky.
What Mom does: Mom does a lot of things. Dad helps, too.
Coolest thing she’s done: Mom did the Halloween party, and that was fun.
At meetings: They talk about school, they talk about budget, and they do all that stuff.
PTO perk: Mom and Dad were in charge of the talent show at school one year. They ran the show and fixed things. It was a neat show.
PTO pet peeve: Too much time at meetings. I am glad that she is not the president anymore.
Future involvement plans: I wouldn’t want to be president because the president has too much to do.

Isabella Kallfelz
Grade 4 at Heron Pond School, daughter of Elizabeth Kallfelz, Vice President, Milford Elementary School PTO, Milford, N.H.
What Mom does: Buys popsicles and makes our school better by running family nights where we have hot dogs.

Larry Riley
Grade 5, son of Traci Riley, Copresident, North Side Elementary PTO, Union City, Ind.
At meetings: They spend too much time. They discuss what happens at school.

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green team day

spring pictures

Wednesday was Spring Picture Day. Two students, Trey and Jacob, decided to turn their combs into mustaches. The things they will do for a good laugh!

Valentine's Day

Homeroom Valentine's Day parties were held on February 12. There were some really amazing collection boxes this year. Jessica from Mrs. Stedke's class, above, made her collection box look like our school! Xavier, below, from Mrs. Baker's class, made an incredible football field.

Be sure to visit this link to see additional photos!

Gabby, below, from Mrs. Doll's class, made an enchanted castle to collect her valentines.

Bryn, below, from Mrs. Davis' class, created an R2D2 collection droid.

Clay, from Ms. Schlenker's class, below, got to wear some fabulous glasses with Mrs. Laise.

And finally, Walker, below, from Ms. Bailey's class, created a sweet collection box. Thanks to all the parents and families that donated items for our homeroom Valentine's Day parties.

Monday night

The PTO sponsored the February skating party this past Monday. Even with the weather that was to start later that night, we had a great turn out. Our students are always well behaved and courteous. Thanks! You can see Mr. Tester dancing the Chicken Dance with our students, too.

green team

Each month, if students are on green for the entire month, they earn the status of being on the green team. Each homeroom green team gets their photo taken which is then proudly displayed at school. Teachers keep green bandannas for the green team members to wear on a specified day. Here are two fourth graders who wore their green team bandannas proudly.. and then some first graders who also wore theirs proudly.

Action for Healthy Kids

"School Wellness" is a term that every parent needs to know. School wellness impacts children's performance in the classroom and influences their lifelong habits of healthful eating and active living. School wellness encompasses healthy eating, adequate physical activity, nutrition education and physical education for all students. Improving school wellness practices is essential to decreasing childhood obesity and preparing children to live healthy, active and productive lives.

Some known facts:

Healthy children learn better.
The voice of the parent can change schools.
Without parental involvement, school wellness initiatives simply cannot succeed.

The Cridersville PTO would like you to know we try our best to provide those extras to students that also promote healthy students. Please visit Action for Healthy Kids to learn more. It is a national nonprofit organization that addresses the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on nutrition and physical activity policies and practices in schools.

Action for Healthy Kids was founded in 2002 by former US Surgeon General David Satcher, in response to the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, which identified the school environment as one of five key sites of change.

parades, parties and skating

So much to catch up on! We participated in the Halloween parade in Wapak this year. We, as the PTO, had talked about it in years past but for some reason, just never signed up. This year we did. Our school's theme is Reach For The Stars so we made our float around this theme. We have gold star costumes from last year's parade in Cridersville and some students wore these. PTO members donated their vehicle and trailer, as well as straw for the float. Another member had a giant star that was still wrapped in red and white garland from last year and we added that. We passed out bookmarks, informational papers and candy while walking the parade. What better way to create camaraderie within the school district than to participate in neighboring communities events!

We also participated in the Cridersville Halloween parade. We had a different float with the theme of Fishing for a Good Book. A PTO member donated their pontoon boat for our float and we again passed out bookmarks, informational papers and candy. We also had our gold stars walking with us.

Our first skating party was held on Monday, October 12. The PTO sponsors skating parties once a month at Edgewood Skate Arena. Students have the option of riding a bus from Cridersville School to Edgewood and home again.

Thanks, parents, staff and students for making Cridersville School a great place for a good start!

open house

Tomorrow night is Cridersville Elementary Open House. The PTO would like to recognize and thank the 68, yes, 68 parents who turned in the Three for Me promise. We began this volunteer program last year and it had a great turn out then. I am so happy to see so many of our parents promise to give three hours to their children this school year. Parental involvement is critical to student success.

Thank you, parents!!

on the inside

Once in a while, the staff is granted the honor of being able to tour the new school building while it is still under construction. This afternoon, the staff took one tour and members of the PTO followed in another tour. Below are some photos from the amazing adventure...

Below you will see the lunch room. The windows in the cafeteria face north and bring a lot of sunshine to the room. It will be a welcome change to the sometimes crowded stage that now is the place our students eat lunch.

This is a look down the south hallway, looking east to west.

The gentleman from Gilbane who conducted our tour is explaining the purpose behind the slanted ceilings...the large windows allow for light to come into the classrooms which then will be reflected by the slanted ceiling, allowing for sunlight to be utilized in each classroom.

Below is a peek at what will be the media center. The windows face west and look out at Otterbein. Mrs. Jackson will have more room so she can fill it with even more wonderful books for you to read!

A look at our gymnasium and stage is below. Mrs. Black thinks she has a great gym now, wait until you attend your physical education classes in THIS gym!

The staff and members of the Cridersville PTO would like to thank Gilbane for sharing their time with us. We appreciate the job you are doing for our new schools buildings!

Keep up the great work.

first day of school!

The first day of school always brings something entertaining to Cridersville School. Today we had guest visitors of Respect, Responsibility and Raven Recycle. All staff and students were given 3D glasses, too. You can see that our principal, Mr. Tester, jumped right into the fun by wearing his glasses.

Respect, below, talked about what it means to be respectful not only of ourselves, but of our belongings as well as those things that belong to others. Respect talked about taking our words with us everyday. She emphasized how important it is to use the words, Excuse me, please. Before you know it, it will be habit and then we won't even have to think about it!

Responsibility talked about being a star student and what responsibility really means. She talked about being responsible for our things...our library books, our homework, our school supplies, and our manners. Responsibility stressed that school is our job and we must take it seriously.

Finally, Raven Recycle, below, talked about the recycling that is done at Cridersville School. When we recycle, we are being both respectful and responsible. We need to take care of our planet and our surroundings.






The first day of school also brings all students and staff outside to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

almost ready

As we get set to begin yet another school year, let us remind ourselves how important it is to monitor our children's activity on the internet. Monitoring the appropriateness of websites (and who they communicate with) has never been more important. The following information, developed by the safety experts at McAfee, provides tips to help keep them safe online.

Talk with them about what they do online. Check out their social websites (and any personal profiles they’ve posted)—and set up your own account and profile on those sites. Also, familiarize yourself with the latest Internet trends.

Establish clear ground rules. Limit the amount of them they’re allowed to spend online. Discuss what should never be shared with others: passwords, phone numbers, full names, addresses, where they go to school, etc.

Keep tabs on their online messages. Make sure their communications are appropriate, including instant messages, e-mail, and e-mail attachments.

Encourage your child to ask for help. Tell them to trust their instinct if anything seems “off” (inappropriate photos, being bullied, or someone asking to meet offline)—and to let you know immediately.

Stress that nothing on the Internet is ever private. Whatever they post online is out there for anyone to see (even on a page labeled “private”). Even something e-mailed to one person can then be forwarded to thousands more.

Read more about the ABC's of online safety here.